James Sands, operating primarily as a defensive midfielder for St. Pauli after a season with NYCFC, offers a fascinating case study of a player whose value shines through in defensive contributions rather than traditional offensive metrics. With a staggering ability to recover the ball, evidenced by his near-top percentile in ball recovery, Sands displays an almost intuitive knack for breaking up opposition play. His duel win rate is commendably high, indicating not only physical prowess but a sound reading of the game. Interestingly, despite a lower rank in creative departments, like chance creation and assists, Sands compensates by his mastery in ball retention and progressive passing, making him reliable in transitioning the play.
However, his offensive presence lags; he rarely ventures into attacking territory, resulting in minimal goal threat and chance creation. His pass accuracy, starkly lower than expected, suggests room for improvement in composure when distributing under pressure. Fouling remains another area of concern, highlighting a need for refinement in tackling. Overall, Sands exemplifies the archetype of a midfield anchor whose defensive acumen makes him invaluable, even as he works to polish the edges of his offensive contributions. This scout report underscores the crucial blend of tenacity and tactical acumen defining Sands' style of play.
James Sands Key stats
James Sands Senior Career
James Sands Career Trend
James Sands Shot Maps
James Sands Shot Summary
In the 2024-2025 season, James Sands took 1 shots, scoring 0 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 0.05, averaging 0.05 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 0 goals from 0 shots. A 0% conversion rate. 0 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 0 goals from 0 shots. A 0% conversion rate. 0 xG per shot.
Headers: 0 goals from 1 headed attempts. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.05 xG per shot.